Welt footwear



Patented Mar. 17, 1942 WELT FOOTWEAR Henri Chevalier, Romans, Drome,France, assignor to Chaussures Unic-Usines Fenestrler Socit Anonyme,Romans, Drome, France, a corporation of France Application July 6, 1939,Serial No. 282,984

In France July 6, 1938 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a welt boot or shoe whose sole and/or heel areformed in part of one or several comparatively thick layers of cork,

, whether naturally unitary or agglomerated, whic is, of coursepermeable to air.

According to this invention, said layer or layers are covered on theirunder surface and on their sides by an enveloping sheet made of ailexible Water-proof material, for example crpe rubber, moreover a bandmade of a flexible material, for example crpe rubber, is sewn betweenthe welt and the upper, is bent over the edges of the sole and/or of theheel and is fixed to a wearing layer made of a resistant material.

Cork, preferably natural cork, has been recognized among a great numberof light and isolating materials as being the best for use in themanufacture of boots or shoes, this due to its lightness, permeabilityto air and isolating and moisture absorbing properties.

The boot or shoe according to the invention has the advantages of beinglight, isothermic in eiect, that is to say the plantar surface of thefoot is protected against variations in outside temperature and the footis kept at its normal temperature both in cold and in hot weather, ofbeing waterproof while yet being permeable to air and of being exible.All these advantages render it particularly hygienic and agreeable towear.

Moreover, this boot or shoe, whose sole is thick can be manufactured inelegant models.

Figs. l and 2 of the accompanying drawing are cross-sections through twodifferent embodiments of the sole of a boot or shoe according to theinvention.

Reference being had to Fig. 1, the boot or shoe shown comprises an innersole I0, made for example of leather. The upper (boot or shoe) I4 andits lining I5, as well as .the Welt I6 and a band 21 of crpe rubber, aresewn to the rib I1 round this inner sole, the seam being indicated atI8. A padding I9 lls the empty space between the inner sole and the soleproperly so called.

The latter is in several layers. The layer -20 is made of cork and thewearing layer 24 of crpe rubber. A sheet 2| of crpe rubber covers theundersurface and the sides of the layer 20 by stretching between thelatter and the band 21 of crpe rubber. The latter is stuck or cementedto the wearing layer 24.

The layer 20 is preferably made of several pieces which are distributedover the whole length of the sole, in order to give it flexibility.

These different pieces which are inter-articulated are held together bythe flexible sheet 2|. The sole is thus flexible, although it is thick.

In the embodiment of Fig. 2, the arrangement of the parts I4, I5, I6, I1and I8 and 2l is the same as in Fig. 1. The layer 20 is made of cork,the wearing layer 24 of leather. sewn to the band 21 made of skin (whichcould also be made of crpe rubber, canvas, etc.) by

means of a seam 28, the band 21 is stuck or cemented to the layer 2I,the layer 20 being bevelled at 29 for facilitating this sewing.

According to a modification of this latter embodiment, the .seam 28instead of being parallel with the edge of the sole, can form an angletherewith, and this avoids the necessity of providing the bevel 29: theseam 28 being sewn on the bia-s, from the outside of the band 21 to theunder surface of the layer 24.

Due to the use of sheet 2I and to the band 21, both made of impermeablematerial, no outside humidity can reach the layer of cork 2li. d

It is thus clear that the boot or shoe according to the invention whileyet being impermeable. is isothermic and light due to the presence ofthe cork in its sole. Moreover it is resistant: in fact even if the cork20 happens to break, the pieces formed will keep their respective placeswith regard to each other, for they are rmly enveloped by the sheet 2|,which can be slightly under tension.

Having now fully described my invention, I claim:

1. A Welt foot-wear which in at least one of the two portions thereofincluding the sole and heel portions comprises a thick layer of cork, aexible sheet of water-proof material enveloping said cork on its undersurface and on its sides. a wearing layer of a wear resistant materialdisposed under or below the flexible sheet, and a band of flexiblematerial sewn between the welt and the upper, and bent over the edges ofsaid portion and also fixed to the wearing layer.

2. A Welt foot-wear which in at least one of the two portions thereofincluding the sole and heel portions comprises a. thick layer of naturalcork, a iiexible sheet of crpe rubber enveloping said cork on its undersurface and on its sides, a wearing layer of a wear resistant materialdisposed under or belowthe flexible sheet, and a band of crpe rubbersewn between the welt and the upper, bent over the edges of said portionand also fixed to the wearing layer.

. HENRI CHEVALIER.

The latter is.

